Personal Statement
I’m an only child brought up in a two parent household on a quiet block in Balch Springs Texas. I’ve often heard some people say I have the perfect life, but truthfully no one’s life is perfect. I believe that everyone has steppingstones and obstacles in their lives that they have to climb over to grow and get better as a person. My parents are, were and always will be a major influence in my life. They have always been supportive, encouraging and optimistic when I was uncertain or down about things. My father’s faith in God and passion for sports helped motivate me to persevere and value even my smallest accomplishments. As a little kid I was very sickly. I had really bad asthma and was allergic to almost everything which caused me to be in and out of the hospital a few times a month throughout the years until I was 13. Nevertheless, it never stopped me from playing football, baseball, basketball, track and even tennis at one point. There was just something different about football that stuck with me. When I was in middle school I scored my first touchdown. The feeling was unexplainable and that’s when I knew football was the sport for me.
Playing football has positively shaped my character over the years. For the longest time I was the smallest kid on the on the field and was often bullied. I got tired of it and started pushing myself in the weight room and had gotten strong. Unfortunately, during my 8th grade year I broke my ankle on the first play of our 2nd game and was done for the season. Over those 6-7 months of recovery and physical therapy I found myself questioning whether football was worth it. I had lost muscle and didn’t think I would bounce back. With the help and support of the people around me I decided to stick with it. My freshman year I was about 98 pounds and was around 5’3” and did not get an opportunity to get much playing time. I continued to work hard and stayed hopeful. The summer leading up to my sophomore year I was still small, about 135 pounds, 5’7”, and had descent technique & footwork; I was ready for varsity and the coaches were impressed. However, at the end of one of our workouts I suffered an injury that once again put me back at square one physically. Also, a few months later I was tested emotionally by that loss of a very close family member. I gave up on everything, grades plummeted and I did not even realize it until it was too late. The counselors considered me an “at risk” kid that might not graduate on time. Some people did not expect me to come back to football. I knew then that I could not let my circumstance define me. My love for football and my faith in God helped me through. After not playing a season of football, I stopped playing video/computer games and limited my social media activity. I didn’t let anything distract me from my goals. I also volunteered as a Jr. Coach for a local pee wee football team. This was one of the most rewarding experiences in my life; teaching young people skills for a game that I love. Beginning in the spring leading into my senior year, I worked hard to improve my grades and skills. I worked out twice a day. I secured the starting spot on the varsity team and went on to start every game, only giving up 2 touchdowns and 4 catches over the course of 11 games. Academically, I’ve earned all A’s and B’s this first semester, and yes, I’m in person in the classroom. My mother refers to me as a late bloomer and on I’m on track for a successful and fulfilling life. My greatest qualities are my work ethic and determination. No matter what happens I am built to withstand adversity and will overcome any challenges both academically and on the field.
